Spark-plug



G. CHRISTEHN. A

SPARK PLUG. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 17, |919. RENEwEn JUNE 7,1921.

Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

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INVENTOR Graz/er BriJcrw, v

its ATTORNEY lUNITI-:D STATES GBOVER CHRISTERN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPARK-PLUG.

Application led November 17, 1919, Serial No. 338,607.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, GRovER CHius'rERN, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York,county of Bronx, and State of New York, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvenient in Spark-Plugs, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an improvement in spark plugs of the typegenerally used in internal -combustion engines. One of the objects ofthis invention is to provide an article of this character havingadjustable or regulatable electrodes by means of which the space betweensaid electrodes or points may be readily adjusted or altered tocompensate for wear or when desired, the points may be readily engagedor separated to such an extent as to conveniently permit the removal ofany carbon or oil deposit which ma lodwe between the points, and therebyinci entally removing any excrescence which may become settled in theelectrode.

These objects, and other objects which hereinafter appear in view, Ihave devised the particular arrangement of all parts hereinafter setforth and more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a parthereof, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of a sparkplug provided with my improvement.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the same, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the lower end of the lug showing themanner in which the points engage and are cleaned by contact with oneanother.

Throughout the various views of the drawing, similar referencecharacters designate similar parts.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, as illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, 1 indicates the usual metal body of the plug whichmay be of the usual or desired form and which is provided with theconventional screw threads 2 by means of which the same is threaded intothe spark plug opening in an engine cylinder. At the lower end of thespark plug body is a cross member 3 which forms one of the electrodesand which is rovided with a central conical opening 4. lllounted in thebody Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 20, 1921. Renewed June 7, 1921. Serial No. 475,831.

of the plug is the insulating material 5A which is usually of mica,porcelain or the like. Extending vertically through the center of theinsulating material 5 is a tubular member 6. This tubular member isthreaded, as at 7, on its upper end and on its lower end it is providedwith a circumferential flange 8 which fits snugly into the flared mouth9 of the insulator 5 at its lower end. The tubular member 6 is heldtightly in place within the insulator 5 by the coperation of the flange8 on its lower end and a washer 10 and a nut 11 threaded upon the screwthreads 7 on its upper end. The washer 10 and nut 11 are covered by acap 12 which passes over the upper end of the tubular body 6 and 13 onthe insulator 5. Threaded upon the upper end 'of the tubular member 6 isa bushing 14 provided inwardly extending projection 16 on its upperedge. Slidably mounted within said bushing 14 is a disk 17 having anupwardly extending conical projection 18 which is provided with a slot19 for engagement by driver or other implement, whereby the disk 17 maybe rotated within the bushing 14. Attached to the disk 17 and extendingdownwardly therefrom, is the central electrode or spark plug point 2()which is in the nature of a rod and which passes through the tubularmember 6. At its lower end this electrode 20 is provided with the plugpoint 21 which is preferably diamond shaped, as shown, or may be of anydesired or suitable contour. A spring 22 is mounted within the bushing14 and tends to exert an, upward pressure upon the under face of thedisk 17. Said disk 17 is limited or restricted in its upward movement byreason of the engagement of the projection 16 on the bushing 14 with theupper face of the disk 17. This disk 17 is provided with a number ofrecesses 23. I have shown three of these recesses in the drawing, but itis obvious that this number may be varied according to requirements. Itwill be seen that when the projection 16 registers with one of theserecesses 23 it will lit thereinto, and the point- 21- on the centralelectrode 2O will be nearer or farther away from the electrode 3according to the depth of the recess 23 in which the projection 16 fits.These recesses 23 are therefore made of varyrests upon a shoulder' witha base 15 and an ion points is regulated by the depth ofthe parpoints ofthe plug, a screw driver is inserted into the slot 19 and the disk 17vis pressed downwardly until the projection 16 moves out of engagementwith the slot into which it is resting. Then the disk 17 is rotateduntil the projection`16 comes into registration with the recess ofdesired depth when pressure on the screwdriver is released and thespring 22 forces the recess 23 into en ga ement with the projection 16.

Fn Fig. 4 is shown the manner in which the points of the plugs arecleaned. When the conical opening 4 in the electrode 3 becomes cloggedor corroded, the electrode 20 is pressed downwardly until its diamondsha ed point 21 enters the conical opening 4. Iiy then rotating theelectrode 20 the opening 21 is cleaned by the point 21 as disclosed inFig. 4.

From the foregoing it is obvious that my invention is not to berestricted to the exact embodiment shown, but is broad enough to coverall structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

Having described my invention' what I claim is:

1. An article of the classdescribed com- 'prising a spark plug having' axed electrode, a movable electrode having an end adapted to be broughtinto contact' with the fixed electrode and rotated while in contacttherewith to clean the same, a disk fixed to theupper end of saidelectrode having a plurality of recesses of varying depths, and aprojection on the plug adapted to be brought to rest in any one of saidrecesses by rotation of the movable electrode.

2. An article of the class described comprising a spark plug having` axed electrode, a movable electrode vertically movable through the plugand adapted to be brought into contact with the fixed electrode androtated while in contact therewith to clean the same, a disk fixed tothe upper end of said electrode and rotatable with the same, a bushingin which said disk is rotatable, said disk having a plurality ofrecesses of varying depths and an inwardly extending projectlon on saidbushing adapted to be brought to rest in any one of said recesses byrotation of the movable electrode.

Signed at the city of New York, county of and State of New York, this11th day of November, 1919.

GROVER CHRISTERN.

